The Spirit Never Dies
by Evening Dawn
Summary: After three years of training with Jiraiya, Naruto returns to Konoha. But Naruto has changed, and not entirely for the better. When his return does not go as planned and old acquaintances begin to turn up, Naruto’s self awareness starts to slip away.
1. The Blood of My Enemies

Author's Note: Warning - As the story is rated M it will contain very mature themes including strong language, very graphic violence, and adult situations. I do not own Naruto or its characters in any way, shape, or form.

The Blood of My Enemies

Someone was screaming.

Well, there was a lot of shouting going on, but this was disturbingly different. It was coming through much clearer than the other faint, muffled voices he was also hearing.

_It sounds really close…god and it's so annoying._

Whoever it was, it sounded as if they were pleading for something, or to someone.

_Well I don't feel great about it either. I just want it to stop._

And then it became quiet. It wasn't completely silent, the other voices still sounded distraught about something, but they were still distant, and barely audible.

The sudden calm caught his attention.

_Well that was relatively easy..._

…_easy?_

This thought bothered him, so much that he felt the need to take in the situation.

The scene slowly came into focus. His vision was still blurry, but he could make out his surroundings…a forest, and a familiar one. As a cool breeze rustled nearby trees, he realized his location to be the woods just on the outskirts of Konoha village.

_Konoha… it's been such a long time._

Still a bit hazy, his other senses started coming back to him. The other voices he had heard earlier were now hushed, but what was really getting to him was the smell. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it was beginning to make him feel ill. Something else didn't quite feel right. He felt like he was wet. Drenched might have been a better description as he thought about it.

The sudden feeling of someone's hand on his shoulder caused him to turn his head upwards towards the individual.

The white hair and eye-patch was a dead giveaway.

_Kakashi…sensei_

As he looked around, he took note of the condition that the surrounding woods were in. He now realized that many of the trees had been blown completely over, and it looked as if most were charred.

_What the hell is going on here?_

"Naruto, its ok…you can stop now. I'm here, and Jiraiya is on his way," Kakashi said reassuringly.

Confusion lead quickly to panic, as he realized he still had no idea what was going on, and something was beginning to feel terribly wrong. Although he was still dazed, the rush of adrenaline made him aware that he had been on his knees the whole time. The look on Kakashi's face was one of empathy, as his gaze slowly shifted to the ground in front of him.

Slowly, he turned his head downwards and brought his attention to the scene below him.

_Oh my god._

He was kneeling down in the mutilated remains of what used to be a Sound Nin. This was only apparent due to the symbol on the forehead protector…not that it was really strapped to much of a head anymore. Some of the limbs were gone, save for a left leg and right arm that were barely hanging onto the torso. The chest cavity had been torn into, exposing vital organs which didn't look to be in very good shape themselves. A large amount of blood was pooled around the remains.

Blood that he was kneeling in… blood that he was covered with.

His eyes went wide, as he rose and tried to back away, only to find that he was struggling to maintain stability.

Kakashi quickly stepped in to give support to Naruto, encircling one of Naruto's arms around his shoulder to help him stand.

Recollections of what had occurred began racing through Naruto's head.

"Was going to…bring in…spying….I…" He was rambling, and his voice was cracking.

His head still felt like it was spinning when he came to an upsetting realization.

_It happened again._

There was no other explanation.

_I did something…was this what I did? Was this…all I did? How could I let this happen…_

The thought was too much for him to take. His body went limp and his head dipped down as his vision began to fade. The sound of Kakashi shouting his name grew fainter, and the darkness finally enveloped him.

* * *

Jiraiya was leaning against the wall in Tsunade's office, staring out the window with his arms folded. 

Tsunade was sitting at her desk.

She was not happy.

"Why weren't you there with him? You could have prevented that from happening."

Jiraiya sighed, "We happened onto the group on our way back. There were only three, but they went separate ways, so we split up."

Before Tsunade could reply Jiraiya turned to her.

"And what of the two that I brought in?"

Tsunade paused. "They're being questioned as we speak."

Jiraiya nodded, and sat down in a chair across from the desk.

"Its been awhile since we've had to deal with trouble from the Sound Village; I can't believe that this is just could just be a coincidence."

Tsunade furrowed her brow, "Are you implying that Orochimaru is interested in Naruto?"

Jiraiya turned his head towards the window again. "It's hard to say. If Naruto was the point of interest, then this is something I would anticipate from the Akatsuki, but I don't know what Orochimaru's intentions would be towards him.

Tsunade smirked, "Regardless, we'll have our information soon enough, it's just a matter of interrogation. However, I'm left wondering how well Naruto's training could have gone considering this incident…you certainly didn't mention anything like this in your letters. I don't think there was anybody in the village that didn't feel the tremor."

Jiraiya chuckled, "That kid, if there's one thing that I'll never be able to teach him its finesse. While that wasn't an intention of the training, make no mistake, he's grown strong…stronger than I foresaw with this little venture. If needed, he'll be plenty capable of taking care of himself."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "What I'm afraid of, is that he's capable of a lot more than he can handle."

The smile fell from Jiraiya's lips as he turned his head back to Tsunade. "Contrary to what you probably think, that kid has gained a much better handle on his emotions. He doesn't fly off the handle over little things anymore, and it takes a good bit of instigation to really rile him up. But you have to understand; the Kyuubi knows exactly how to push the right buttons to send Naruto over the edge. It's only when he gives in, and loses himself to the Kyuubi, that it can get dangerous. Moreover, every time this happens…"

"…the seal weakens." Tsunade finished.

Jiraiya nodded. "And the weaker it gets, the more Naruto will start to merge with the Kyuubi. I suspect you've already been looking into this problem?"

"It's been fruitless," Tsunade sighed. "Seals like the one Yondaime used are about as complicated as they come, especially when attempting to reinforce them. I'm just going to need more time."

"You've got time. As of right now, the seal is a problem, but not an immediate one. Hell this has only happened one other time…"

Jiraiya was cut short as he and Tsunade turned to see Kakashi walk into the room.

"How is he?" Jiraiya questioned.

Kakashi shrugged. "He's awake, but still in bed. I just slipped in to give him his clothes back…I'm sure he's grateful that they were washed for him. But as far as his mental condition goes…I'm not so sure. He was pretty shaken up from what I saw earlier."

"It wasn't the corpse that bothered Naruto; he's seen just as worse during our travels," Jiraiya replied. "I suppose it would be quite a shock, wouldn't you say, to suddently realize that you had done something potentially out of character without knowing it?"

Tsunade nodded. "We'll discuss what to do about Naruto's status later. For now, we'll have him stay at the hospital until tomorrow; he's going to need his rest. A long time has passed, and I'm sure he'll be just as energetic as he used to be when he sees his teammates again."

* * *

"_The Kyuubi that you contain is your ace in the hole. The ability to control your massive source of Kyuubi chakra is going to be the focus of your training…if you learn how to use that, then you'll be one hell of a powerhouse."_

In retrospect, Jiraiya's proposition didn't seem as appealing as it had originally sounded.

Naruto was back in a very familiar hospital room, standing in front of a mirror across from the bed.

_Nope, this definitely wasn't what I signed on for…_

Three years was a long time, and it had actually been awhile since he'd taken a good look at himself. If anything, his height was the most noticeable difference. He had shot up to almost 6 feet tall. His hair, still a mess of golden blond spikes, had grown out more. The greater length had caused some locks to hang down along each side of his face; in front of and behind his ears. Also, the years of intense training had gained him a very lean, toned muscular figure. All this growing had required him to alter his attire. He now wore a traditional fishnet shirt underneath a black protective vest; similar to the ones that Anbu members equipped themselves with. While he still had kept his bright orange cargo pants, he opted for a predominantly black jacket; save for the symbol of the Leaf Village on the back which had been stitched in a matching orange thread.

But none of this was a huge surprise to Naruto. What was catching his attention was his eye color. Instead of the normal light blue he was used to seeing, he was now staring into a pair of dark red eyes.

Naruto sighed and spoke to himself, "Not what I had in mind."

Upon making this statement though, Naruto caught a glimpse of another peculiar physical characteristic.

He placed a large grin on his face, confirming what he had seen. His canines definitely appeared to be abnormally longer.

Naruto grit his teeth in frustration.

_You must think this is really fucking funny._

No response.

_How surprising, you usually come out to poke and prod me anyways._

After a few minutes, Naruto finally broke away from his image and walked over to the window. It was late…or early…he wasn't sure, but it was pretty dark out.

_If I know Tsunade she'll be keeping me cooped up in here for at least another few days._

Naruto opened the window.

_Forget that._

Though his return had already proved more eventful than he had hoped it would be, he's was feeling anxious, and he wanted to at least take a walk around the village.

_If anyone asks, I'll just tell them that the red eyes are a byproduct of a brand new top secret S-rank jutsu that only the best ninjas in the world are capable of maintaining…yeah, that should do the trick._

Naruto took a quick look back towards the mirror before he left.

_If I start growing ears and a tail, me and Ero-senin are going to have a long talk…_


	2. Enter the Glade

Enter the Glade

The village was quiet as Naruto strolled down the familiar streets.

Naruto had been wandering around for awhile, re-familiarizing himself with his old home. He was half hoping to run into someone….anyone. One of the things he missed the most during his training was all the familiar faces. He had realized early on that he had taken them for granted; the passive support that their mere presence endowed him with. But he wasn't completely lonely during his travels. Aside from Jiraiya's tutelage, he had also met many new people as they wandered from town to town. This was particularly true during his last few months of training, as he had become specifically popular amongst the younger women; much to Jiraiya's delight.

The positive attention was something that Naruto wasn't used to. After all, in Konoha, those who were old enough knew his secret. He was the container of the nine-tailed fox, the demon that almost caused the destruction of his village. After a lifetime of ridicule by his elders and peers, it was a refreshing change to be the center of notice. Though, the type of attention he was gaining was also quite foreign to him. At one point he had wondered if it was what Sasuke must have felt like.

_Sasuke…_

Naruto shook his head and continued walking, attempting to take his mind off the topic.

Before long he was at the outskirts of the village. Still feeling restless, he decided a little exercise might loosen him up.

He was almost at Team 7's former training grounds when he heard something. He followed the noise out into the field and stopped when he could just make out a figure in the distance.

Slowly crouching down, he slipped into the woods that lined one side of the area. Trying to avoid detection, Naruto moved from tree to tree until he was able to get a better view.

Straining his eyes he was able to make out a slender, female figure. He was still unable to discern any details, as it was still fairly dark despite the full moon.

She was very still, and slightly crouching in a sort of combat stance. However, she looked very…relaxed. Her left arm was held up, palm-out away from her, while her right arm was level with her waist with the palm towards the ground.

The calm demeanor of the figure immediately vanished when it shouted "Byakugen!"

_The Hyuuga blood-line ability._

It's something he would never forget after having faced off with Neji in the chuunin exams years ago.

"Hinata…" Naruto whispered under his breathe.

A moment later, Hinata spun around, facing the direction that Naruto was hiding. Still in combat stance, Hinata questioned the darkness, "Who's there?"

_Damn, that's like cheating._

With a half-smile, Naruto stood up and slowly walked out from behind the trees.

Stepping out into the field, Naruto waved.

"Hey Hinata, it's been awhile."

Hinata's eyes widened, and she relaxed her body.

"N..Naruto-kun?"

Naruto took a few steps closer so that he could see her more clearly. He came to a sudden stop when they were only a few feet apart.

They were both taken back by what they saw.

Hinata looked…different…but in a good way. While it was obvious she had grown a little, he was still a head taller than her due to his own growth spurt over the years. She had maintained her short hairstyle, but the memorable locks that hung down each side of her face were a bit longer. She still had her very thin, slender physique, as well as fare, pale skin. Despite the differences, many would say that Hinata hadn't changed all that much over the years.

This, however, was not the case to Naruto, as he was specifically focused on something he had never quite been aware of…

Her curves.

_I've been living with Ero-sennin too long… but come to think of it, this is the first time I've ever seen her without that jacket._

Without it, she was wearing just a small, dark blue v-neck shirt and nearly skin tight pants that cut off below her knees. As it was, the outfit left little to the imagination.

Hinata herself was staring at the ground, a light blush appearing across her cheeks.

_Three years and I still can't manage to speak his name clearly..._

While Hinata was still lacking in a little self-confidence, over the years she had gotten much better at asserting herself more clearly to others.

"Others" apparently did not include Naruto.

Holding his hands up in mock defense, Naruto sheepishly said "I didn't mean to startle you, just can't be too careful nowadays ya know?"

Hinata was still speechless, and could only manage a slight nod for confirmation.

Naruto took notice of the different shades of red forming on Hinata's face.

"Are you ok Hinata? You don't look so good. Maybe you should take a break for a little bit."

Hinata quickly nodded, and followed Naruto over to a log near the edge of the field.

Sitting only a few feet apart, Hinata's eyes were fixed at the ground, her hands placed in her lap. She was very tense, needless to say.

Amidst the awkward silence, she snuck in a sideways glance at Naruto.

Her heart continued to race.

_He's so…beautiful._

Given, she had always been fond of his appearance. However,his growth over the yearshadgiven hima much more mature, refined look.

Hinata took a deep breathe and turned towards Naruto. She opened her mouth to speak, but was quickly silenced.

Naruto was staring out into the field with a very distant, faraway look in his eyes. He had a very somber expression on his face.

_This is it…this is where it all started. I can't believe how long it's been since we were last together._

Memories he'd tried to set aside began flooding back.

He closed his eyes and sighed.

_Why did things have to get so complicated?_

He hated reminiscing about the past, even though he did it so often. Aside from training, his thoughts were really all that kept him comforted over the years.

Hinata was having trouble finding any words. At that moment Naruto just seemed so disheartened. She hated seeing him like this, but it was an expression that she had noticed on him all too often. He might have been Konoha's number one hyperactive ninja to most, but she had been able to look through his facade. He was only human, and she knew that he had always kept his worries pent up inside.

She became determined to break the silence.

"It's good to see you again Naruto-kun"

_Complete sentence number one._

Upon hearing her voice Naruto snapped back to reality.

He turned towards Hinata with a meek smile on his face, "Sorry Hinata, I guess I kinda spaced out there."

Hinata nodded and returned his smile "When did you get back?"

_Oh, about the time you felt a minor shockwave…_

"Hmmm, I guess I arrived back with Jiraiya at about noon" Naruto replied.

"Oh, so you were here earlier today. Strange…I'd have thought that someone would have mentioned something about it."

Naruto scrambled for an excuse, "Yeah well you know uh…how Tsunade is! She had me report straight to her and made me tell her all about my training…and…I was there…all day!"

Hinata gave him an inquisitive look.

_I need to get off this topic._

"Speaking of training you sure look like you're working hard at it Hinata!"

Hinata paused for a moment, and then nodded. "I have had a lot of time to myself lately, and I like training out here when I am feeling…restless. But for the meantime, unless there is an emergency, I have been taken off of active duty. M..my team has been temporarily relieved of any missions while Shino and Kiba take time to train."

Naruto looked dumbfounded, "I don't understand, doesn't everybody need to train often?"

Hinata shook her head slightly, "They're preparing themselves…for the Jounin exam in the coming weeks."

Naruto's eyes went wide and jumped up from the log.

"WHAT? Jounin exam! That seems so soon, I mean, aren't they barely chuunins?"

Hinata, a bit taken back by Naruto's reaction replied, "W..well most of the older genin passed the next chuunin exam that was given after you left…even me. It might be a bit early, but they want to try, for the experience at least, they say."

Naruto stared at her for a few moments, and then sat back down, turning his head to question her further.

"Are a lot of our old teammates giving it a shot this time?"

Nodding, Hinata replied, "Yes, many are participating, but the only one I know for sure is Neji-nissan.

Naruto smirked, "That guy, I bet he's gotten really strong himself."

After a short pause, Naruto asked, "What about you Hinata? Aren't you gonna try too?"

"Oh n..no I..I couldn't possibly! I still need a lot more training and experience. Besides," Hinata dipped her head down, "I'm still no good compared to everyone else, and it would just be a waste of everybody's time…"

Naruto gave her a very serious look, "What's with that attitude?"

Surprised, Hinata looked up at Naruto, whose stern expression had faded into a smile.

"It sounds like it would be good experience regardless of how well you might do Hinata."

Naruto leaned in close, until his face was only inches from hers.

Naruto spoke in a very soft, supportive tone, "But personally, I think you're stronger than you give yourself credit for. I've seen first hand how much heart you put into what you do, and I think that lets you to push yourself farther than most others would go."

Hinata's spirits swelled at Naruto's supportive words…however, the close proximity was causing her a bit of light-headedness, and she was using all of her strength to prevent from fainting.

She was about to manage a meek "thank you" when she noticed something…different…about Naruto's face.

"Naruto…your eyes…"

_Shit_.

Naruto quickly backed away, averting his gaze from Hinata off towards the nearby forest.

Naruto chuckled nervously. "Yeah…about that…"

His explanation was cut short when something in the woods caught his eye.

Something fast.

Someone fast.

_It can't be…there's another?_

"Someone's there," Naruto stated, peering into the darkness.

Hinata was thrown off by the sudden change of topic. "What?"

"No time to explain, go get help."

Hinata had barely registered his request when Naruto had left, dashing off into the woods.

* * *

Authors Note: Hopefully the next few chapters will be longer, as this was rather on the short side.Luckly I'm making good progress on the future additions. Thank you to my beta reader Mike, and to those who reviewed, I'm always looking for input of any kind.


	3. Mask of Sanity

Mask of Sanity

After a minute of chase Naruto realized that he had lost whatever he was following. Sprinting across the tree limbs, he finally slowed his pace and came to a halt. Crouching on a tree branch, Naruto tried to slow his heavy breathing; though it was more from agitation than exhaustion.

_I know I saw someone. But was it the Sound again?_

While he couldn't deny that they obviously had something of interest around the area, it just didn't seem very logical to him for there to be another around so soon. He also couldn't believe that a sound ninja similar to the ones he'd encountered earlier would be able to give him the slip. As a result, another possibility crept into his mind.

_The Akatsuki._

It was one topic that he had heard about all the time, yet knew little about. In truth, they were the primary reason Jiraiya had decided to take Naruto in as his student. While even Jiraiya's information concerning the group had been limited, he did know that for whatever reason, the Akatsuki were intent on obtaining the Kyuubi…or any other Jinchuriki for that matter. Naruto had been cautioned all throughout his training to be constantly on his guard, especially when alone. Jiraiya had also informed him that if the Akatsuki were to get a hold of him, any attempt at extracting the Kyuubi would likely lead to his death.

_Lucky me._

Invading his thought, a deep, familiar voice bellowed in.

_**You're slipping boy.**_

_Shut up, I don't need this from you right now._

_**All that training and you're still so slow.**_

_Speed is irrelevant if you don't know where you're going...I just lost track of it. Besides you should be encouraging my growth. If the Akatsuki ever do get a hold of me, you're toast._

Naruto smirked at the mental silence that followed.

Leaping down from the tree, he scanned the surrounding woods a final time before heading back towards the village. It was during this walk that he realized just how exhausted he felt, both mentally and physically. His whole body was aching, an extremely familiar sensation that Naruto had become accustomed to during his training. However, he figured most of his fatigue was likely caused by his extensive use of Kyuubi chakra earlier in the day.

Just as he reached the forest's edge he could see Kakashi and Kurenai quickly heading towards his location.

Naruto waved as they approached him, "I guess you heard from Hinata?"

Kurenai nodded, "She said you needed backup."

"Was it more of the Sound?" Kakashi questioned.

Naruto shrugged and replied simply, "I don't know."

Before Kakashi could respond, Naruto clarified, "I mean, it could have been another Sound. But it also could've been…something else."

The implications of Naruto's statement did not escape Kakashi, and he nodded in acknowledgment.

Putting her hands on her hips, Kurenai sighed. "Well, at least everything seems alright."

"Sorry for the false alarm," Naruto said with a yawn, "but I think it's time for some sleep. I'm pretty tired."

A smirk could be detected through Kakashi's mask, "Back to the hospital?"

"In my own bed…I'll deal with Tsunade in the morning." Naruto replied, and began heading back to the village.

Kurenai chuckled as Naruto walked out of earshot. "I almost didn't recognize him at first. He's changed so much over the years."

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She had been standing at the gates the whole time, awaiting their return.

"I…I'm sorry I was not there, but Kurenai told me to stay in the village."

Naruto was a bit surprised as he wasn't expecting any sort of apology. "Whoa Hinata, you don't have anything to be sorry about; it was just me making a big deal out of nothing. Anyways it's pretty late…how about we call it a night?"

Her gaze directed slightly towards the ground, Hinata gave a stiff nod.

With that Naruto continued walking past the city gates.

As Naruto passed by, Hinata reflexively laced her fingers in an anxious manner; a habit that she hated and had been trying to break. She opened her mouth to call Naruto's attention, but for the second time that night, she found that she could not get the words out.

Slowly as Naruto faded into the night, Hinata finally released a few soft words. "Naruto-kun…welcome home…"

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"W…what did you say?"

Mounted atop the Sound Nin that he had finally managed to pin to the ground, Naruto could see an almost victorious smirk on his face.

"Awww did I hit a soft spot?" The Nin said with mock distress. "Don't look so hurt, you're the one that asked about him."

Naruto tightened his grip on the Nin's shoulders. "You're lying."

The Sound Nin looked directly into Naruto's eyes, which seemed to be searching for any semblance of truth. Lifting his head from the ground as much as he could manage, the Sound Nin repeated, "Uchiha Sasuke, is dead."

Naruto was stunned. All he could do was continue to stare in disbelief as hundreds of possible scenarios sporadically played out in his mind.

A grin spread across the face of the Sound Nin. Reveling in the mental distress he was causing his captor, the Sound Nin continued his verbal assault, "It's all his fault really…when you're stupid enough to cross Orochimaru, nothing less should be expe…"

The Nin's words were cut short by a sickly cracking noise. Naruto's grip had unconsciously tightened…so much that he had crushed the shoulder blades of his captive.

**_Yes…it has been a long time since you have been so angered, boy. Let us show this one the consequences of his…disrespect._**

Suddenly Naruto's world went black, and he found himself behind the bars of a small cage suspended in a seemingly empty void. However, peering into the distance he was able make out a small image of the Sound Nin amidst the darkness. Slowly but surely a familiarly gruesome sequence of events began to play out in front of him. All the while the Nin's pleading screams seemed to resonate within the cage.

_No, this isn't right…I…I have to stop this!_

In a panic, Naruto clutched the bars and tried to pull them apart, but they would not budge. The cries still continuing, Naruto began to kick and punch at the bars with all his might. Soon he started screaming himself, with each strike he gave out a desperate cry in the hopes that the cold iron bars would finally give way. Slowly, as the Nin's voice became fainter, so did Naruto's efforts. Eventually, with a final choked breathe, the sounds came to a stop.

His knuckles bloody and aching, Naruto slumped down to his knees, peering out towards the image of the Nin's remains that seemed to be slowly increasing in size.

His face was stained with frustrated tears, "I didn't want this…"

_**Of course you do, or else it wouldn't be happening.**_

Ignoring the Kyuubi's statement, he clenched his fist and struck the cage a final time. "I DIDN'T FUCKING ASK FOR THIS!"

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Naruto quickly shot up from his bed. Completely drenched in sweat, he instinctively placed a hand over his chest to feel the rapid throbbing of his heart. Slightly disoriented, he slid over to the edge of the bed and placed his feet on the floor, slowly regaining his composure. The feel of the cold wood on his bare feet helped him finally reconnect with reality.

_Apparently a decent night of sleep is too much to ask for anymore._

Nightmares had become a frequent occurrence for him, and they seemed to be getting progressively darker. While he had done his best to just shrug them off as nothing more than random dreams, the morbid imagery that they usually contained stayed with him a lot longer than he would like to admit.

As his breathing slowed, he turned to his nightstand and picked up a small, framed picture. The picture showed Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura standing in front of Kakashi. After a few moments, Naruto sighed, "Team 7…just like we used to be."

Naruto's vision slowly shifted to Sasuke.

"There's no way…that you would be so careless. That Nin was lying. He was just trying to rile me up." Naruto closed his eyes, attempting to remove the picture from his mind. "I just can't believe that you could be…"

**…**_**Dead…**_

Naruto reflexively clenched his teeth, but opened his eyes when he heard an unexpected crack. Still holding the picture, he noticed a small trickle of blood dripping from the bottom of his hand. The frame now had a small fracture in the glass.

Right over Sasuke's image.

The frame shattered as it was dropped to the floor.

Naruto, who was still sitting on his bed, gazed blankly at the broken fragments that now lay scattered beneath him. It took him a few moments to realize that his hand was shaking, and he quickly clenched the side of the bed to steady it; a crimson red slowly seeped into the white sheets.

Naruto took a deep breath and shook his head, as if to bring himself to his senses. He took note of the faint light that was beaming through his window.

"Missions," he said to himself, "I really need something to do."

Ignoring the mess on the floor, he quickly dressed in his standard attire and began to head out. Facing the door, he pushed the words of the Sound Nin out of his head.

_He was lying._

With that thought, Naruto left.

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Tsunade took a sip of her tea before resuming her conversation with Jiraiya. "I didn't think you'd be leaving so soon, at least not until Naruto settled back in."

"He can take care of himself for awhile, seeing as this is for his benefit anyways. The sooner we can get this seal issue resolved the sooner I can stop worrying about it. Besides," Jiraiya paused for a moment before continuing, "It's hard not to feel a bit responsible for the situation he's in right now. Until we can restore and reinforce his seal, it can't be guaranteed that Naruto will be in complete control of the Kyuubi."

Taking another sip, Tsunade set the cup on her desk. "Does Naruto rely on the Kyuubi's power that much now?"

Jiraiya nodded, "When he gets serious, it's like second nature to him. But, I didn't take him down this path because I doubted his base potential. It's just that three years isn't a lot time, especially for how strong Naruto needed to become. He knew the risks of training specifically with the Kyuubi chakra, but it was all the same to him. Training him to use that untapped power as his own was the only feasible route we could take, considering what he needed to achieve. But what's done is done. The only thing we can now is trust that it will all work out in the end."

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Naruto had managed to make it to Tsunade's office without causing too much commotion. As it was, not many even knew that he was back in the village; which was fine by him, as his morning hadn't put him in the most talkative mood. Nevertheless, he had briefly bumped into Shizune momentarily while walking through the halls. Her friendly greeting aside, Naruto was a little shaken by her foreboding information.

"_You had better be glad Kakashi intervened. Tsunade-sama was ready to drag you back to the hospital herself when she heard you had snuck out."_

He could only manage a meek "Thanks," at the time.

Right outside the door he could hear a faint discussion between Jiraiya and Tsunade.

_Well, at least I'll have Ero-senin for backup._

Upon entering, Tsunade and Jiraiya broke off their discussion.

Jiraiya smiled as Naruto walked into the room, "Up bright and early I see. Couldn't wait to show yourself off to all the ladies eh?"

Naruto rolled his eyes.

Tsunade was not as good-humored, however, and threw Naruto a dark glare. "The "ladies" aside, it seems in the time you've spent with Jiraiya you've picked up his lack of common sense. I don't take it well when patients of mine up and leave without my approval."

With a sheepish grin, Naruto waved his arms dismissively. "I'm completely fine! I was really ok, I'm sure it looked a lot…worse…than it was…"

_Yeah, I'm sure I looked just swell._

Attempting to divert the topic he quickly focused on his original intent. While his thoughts as of late concerned Sasuke's wellbeing, he didn't figure that was going to fly very well at the moment.

"_So, I'm as ready as ever to give Orochimaru what he has coming to him, and bring Sasuke to his senses in the process. What do ya think?"_

As it were, he decided it might be best to aim a little lower. "I'm ready to get back to missions."

Jiraiya dipped his head and gazed off to the side, as if to avoid the response he was anticipating.

Tsunade knew this would come up sooner or later, but she didn't expect to have to deal with it so early. Having already given the scenario great consideration, she replied to Naruto in confident, Hokage fashion.

"No."

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Author's Note:

Sorry to be taking so long on this, but I hit a pretty bad combination of work/classes that has occupied my time for awhile now. I'm still writing, albeit at a sporadic pace. I do intend to keep going and finish this eventually, but consistency is something I can't guarantee at the moment. Again, thank you Mike for pre-reading this, and to all reviewers.


	4. Take My Hand

Take My Hand

Naruto was caught off guard and could only manage a confused "What?"

Tsunade shook her head, "Naruto, in light of what just happened…"

Naruto grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes. "You don't trust me." There was a slight accusatory tone in his voice.

_Don't do this. Don't say things like that…_

"Naruto, you know that's not what I mean."

Naruto hated this. She was trying to avoid openly discussing his problems with the Kyuubi. Then again, it wasn't exactly something he really wanted to talk about either. Regardless, he made no attempt to mask his escalating aggravation. "You expect me to just sit here and do nothing? What the hell did I do all that training for if I'm not gonna use it?"

Although she didn't want to come down too hard on him, Tsunade nevertheless replied in a very stern tone, "Did the possibility that you could accidentally endanger your teammates ever enter your mind?"

The fires in Naruto's eyes were immediately extinguished, and his features relaxed into a vacant gaze.

Tsunade continued, "Until we can figure out a means of reinforcing your seal so this can be prevented, I can't in good conscience send you out with anybody."

Leaning against the wall next to the window, Jiraiya quietly observed the exchange. He could tell there were a lot of emotions swirling inside Naruto, and he could understand his frustration. Though he would never admit to it, he had become attached to Naruto in the three years that they trained together. He'd seen him at his best, and at his worst, and he was one of the only people that could really understand him. As it was, he knew there was no way Naruto was going to stand for being kept in the village.

Naruto clenched his fist in preparation to speak, but he was cut off by Jiraiya.

"You know Naruto…there ARE things you can accomplish by staying here in the village for awhile. You may not have heard yet, but there is a Jounin exam coming up." Jiraiya ended his proposal with a mischievous grin.

Naruto turned to Jiraiya, "Yeah, a Jounin exam made for Chuunins to participate in; ya don't have to rub it in that I'm behind everybody else now."

Jiraiya tilted his head and raised an eyebrow at Tsunade, who was surprised at Jiraiya's proposal. "You aren't seriously going to make him waste time by waiting for the next Chuunin exam are you? There will be more than enough supervision in case anything happens, including your own."

There was a small silence that passed over the room. Naruto, while taken back by what Jiraiya was asking, was even more amazed that Tsunade was actually considering his suggestion.

After a short period of contemplation, Tsunade finally dropped her head and sighed, "You really like to stir things up don't you? Alright, we have a few things to talk about."

Naruto's eyes widened slightly as a grin slowly crept across his face.

"Well, that's my queue." Jiraiya said as he walked towards the door. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Jiraiya turned to Naruto and gave him a final nod as if to say, "Good luck."

When Jiraiya left the room, Naruto turned back to Tsunade.

"Here's the deal. I'll give you the rank of Chuunin for now. Mind you, this is under the assumption that your training with Jiraiya was sufficient to put you well past that title. If I see anything less than that level of skill at this exam, I'll bump you right back down. And mind you, I intend to judge very harshly."

The stress on the "very" did not escape Naruto. Regardless, he couldn't help but begin to feel excited. "Is that it?"

"Not quite. Since the tournament entry sign-ups ended a week ago, I'm going to have to bend the rules a bit. Someone else will have to be entered in late along with you. The best I can do is give you until tomorrow to find that someone else. Any later than that and I won't let you take it."

Naruto furrowed his brow. "Someone else…what do you mean I have to find 'someone else'?"

"Oh right," Tsunade said with a mischievous grin, "you haven't heard yet have you? It's a two person exam, which means," Tsunade leaned forward slightly for emphasis…

"You need a partner."

Naruto just blinked at her, as if processing her self-explanatory statement, until finally asking, "Just one partner? If we have to be with teammates then don't we need to be in three-man teams like we've trained in before?"

"You're a ninja aren't you? Don't question it. Deal with it. Adapt to it." With a final nod Tsunade concluded, "That's the deal, I'd suggest you get searching."

Despite Tsunade's "strictly business" presentation, Naruto spirits were as high as they'd been in a long while. After giving a warm "thank you," he headed out. Stopping at the doorway with his back to Tsunade, he decided that he needed to clear something up. "As future Hokage, I have to be ready to do what's necessary to keep everybody safe. Understand this," Naruto looked over his shoulder with an intensely serious expression, "the Kyuubi knows me very well, and it knows that if it did something that caused me to harm my friends…I would kill myself without hesitation…right along with it."

Tsunade remained silent as Naruto finished his claim, and finally left her office. Oddly enough, as she leaned back in her chair an awkward smile crawled across her face.

_Now that sounds like something a Hokage would say._

* * *

An exasperated Sakura increased her pace through the halls in the hopes of putting some distance between her and her blonde companion. "Ino, just give it a rest. We'll train for the exam later, but right now I have to give these reports to Tsunade."

Matching her stride for stride, Ino replied, "Oh no, I've heard that line more times than I can count in the last month. You're not getting out of training so easy this time!"

Carefully looking over the paperwork Sakura gave Ino little attention, and continued with her series of predetermined excuses, "Ino, you know that Tsunade-sama is counting on me to finish these tasks for her. I can't just shrug off my responsibilities."

"She'll understand! The trial is only a fewweeks away Sakura, we can't afford to waste time while you try and work on your own…" Ino immediately lost what she had intended to say the moment she saw the figure that stepped out of Tsunade's office.

Sakura, who was still engrossed in the paperwork, noticed Ino had stopped, and looked back towards her. "My own what?"

Oblivious to Sakura's question, Ino instead called out, "Naruto?!"

Naruto had been in a world of his own since leaving Tsunade's office, and was in deep thought about the conditions that Tsunade had given him. The sound of Ino's voice managed to catch his attention, and he finally took notice of the blonde and pink haired females standing behind him.

Sakura turned around to find a tall, blonde teenager staring back at them. "N..Naruto?" She could barely believe that Naruto could have changed so much, as her old memory of Konoha's number one knucklehead ninja just didn't seem to fit anymore.

She on the other hand, hadn't changed much. While she had certainly matured into a more womanly figure, her body was still strong and defined due to her tough training.

She snapped out of her thoughts to find that Naruto had walked up to greet them; a huge smile covered his face.

She had to restrain herself from jumping and hugging him. She had missed him so much; Konoha just hadn't seemed the same without Naruto around.

Instead, she mirrored his smile, "It took you long enough."

Laughing, Naruto replied, "Yeah well, training to become the greatest ninja ever takes time you know."

Ino took the opportunity to chime in, "This is a surprise since nobody mentioned that you were back…did you just get here?"

_Oh man, here we go…it's gonna get hard to remember what lie I told to who. I'll have to be really careful from now on._

Putting on his best poker face Naruto replied, "No no, I was here last night, but I went straight to bed after me and Jiraiya got in…I was pretty tired from the trip."

Sakura thought she noticed an odd change in his manner, as if he was hiding something, but she decided not to press the issue. Keeping her friendly smile she decided to just keep the conversation light; she'd snoop for details later.

Taking note of the papers Sakura was carrying, Naruto asked "So what are you guys up to here?"

Sakura held out the papers she was carrying. "Tsunade-sama has been training me as a medical specialist. I've been working with her the whole time you've been gone, so I usually help with some of the hospital-related duties."

"Yeah, duties that are gonna hurt our chances at passing the exam…" Ino murmured.

Naruto clenched his hand into a victorious manner. "Oh right, the exam! That's why I'm here. Tsunade's gonna let me take the Jounin exam too!"

Both girls looked extremely surprised. "Really?" They both questioned.

He nodded, "Yeah, as long as I can get a partner by tomorrow, she'll allow me to enter. How about it Sakura-chan?"

Sakura's expression faded slightly as she replied, "That's great to hear Naruto…but I've already entered with Ino here."

Trying his best to hide his disappointment, Naruto feigned a smile. "Hey, don't worry about it…I'm sure you guys have been getting ready for this for awhile now. But what about Shikamaru and Chouji…I would have thought that you'd be paired with one of them Ino?"

Ino crossed her arms and snorted, "Those lazy bums decided to sit this one out. Lucky for you Sakura, since now you have the privilege of being paired with me."

Sakura rolled her eyes and looked back to Naruto. "Lee-san isn't going to be taking the exam either. He's off training with Gai-sensei."

Sakura continued, "Aside from that, I'm not sure what anybody else is planning. You'll have to ask them yourself. I think I saw Kiba at the ramen shop just before we got here…" Sakura broke off as she finally realized the little detail that had been bugging her. "Naruto…is there something wrong with your ey…"

Naruto immediately cut her off, "D…Did you say Kiba!? I need to talk to him! Maybe he can help me find a partner…I don't have much time to waste. I'll talk to you again really soon Sakura-chan, I want to hear all about your training with Tsunade!"

With a quick grin and wave, he ran off, leaving the pair of bewildered kunoichi's in the hallway.

Ino turned to Sakura and shrugged, "Well that was abrupt. You'd think he'd have more to say after three years. Then again, it is Naruto after all."

Sakura paused for a moment before responding, "I don't know why, but for some reason it felt like something was wrong."

"I'll say," Ino replied with a sly grin. "Who knew Naruto would look that good in just a few years."

* * *

Back in the comfort of the now busy streets of Konoha, Naruto slowed to a more relaxed pace. He felt a slight twinge of guilt for running off so suddenly. Though he really wanted to hear more from Sakura, he was getting sick of having to keep up with his excuses for the Kyuubi.

_Jeez, are these things that noticeable?_

Stopping for a moment in front of a makeshift booth, he nonchalantly peered into one of the many decorative mirrors that were being sold, and then resumed his stride.

_I guess they were a pretty clear blue…_

Regardless of the situation, Naruto couldn't help but smile.

_It's good to see she's doing well._

After a short walk he arrived at the ramen shop. Lifting the drapes to enter, he immediately spotted Shino and Kiba eating.

"Oi, Kiba!" He shouted.

Turning from his meal, Kiba's eyes widened at the sight of him. "Whoa, Naruto! What's goin on man?"

Shino, who was sitting next to Kiba, gave him a welcoming nod.

Naruto noticed Kiba's hair was even longer and messier than he had remembered it, giving him a very feral, animalistic look. Shino however, hadn't appeared to have changed a bit. This was probably due to his signature jacket collar that still concealed much of his appearance.

Kiba laughed. "Well come on, have a seat. You've been gone for awhile; I bet you missed this place more than anything!" He waved his arm in an inviting manner.

As much as Naruto felt tempted by the offer, he decided he'd better not waste any time. He held up both hands with a smile, "Really sorry guys but I'm in kind of a hurry. I'm looking for a partner for the Jounin exam."

Shino brow rose, while Kiba couldn't hide his surprise. "What?! You're jumping in even though you just got back?"

Naruto scratched his head with a nervous chuckle, "Yeah well…it's a long story. But right now I won't be able to enter unless I can find someone to partner with me. Do you guys know anybody that I could try?"

"Oh, so you're saying we're not good enough to ask, that you need someone else?" Kiba asked, a hint of sarcasm lacing his mischievous grin.

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Yeah yeah, I already heard from Hinata that you both were paired up, so there was no point."

"Unfortunately for you, Neji and Tenten are both partners as well, so your optionsare limited." Shino added.

Kiba snapped his fingers and nodded, "Yeah, that's about right."

Crossing his arms, Naruto had a grim expression on his face as he tried to brainstorm new ideas.

Breaking his train of thought, Shino coughed in order to garner attention. "Perhaps you should ask Hinata."

Naruto furrowed his brow. "But…I thought she already decided against competing?"

Kiba and Shino exchanged sheepish glances, as if they were ashamed about something.

Naruto was confused by the sudden silence, "What's wrong?"

Kiba sighed, "We really tried to convince Hinata to team up with one of us for the exam, but damn it, you know how she is! She kept saying that she didn't want to split us up, and that she wasn't ready for it anyways. But you know how she can be. Since it's only two to a team for the exam someone was going to have to fend for them self. So she basically volunteered herself for that role."

"Which is a shame," Shino added, "since she is just as capable as we are."

"I don't know." Naruto replied, "She seemed pretty clear in her decision, and I really don't want to pressure her into anything." The word "timid" came to mind when he thought of Hinata's personality.

"Yeah, but you can try and talk some sense into her; it would make me feel a bit better knowing that she wouldn't have to sit this out."

Naruto didn't respond, and instead dipped his head in silent debate.

Shino could still detect some hesitation from Naruto, and decided he would have to lend Kiba a hand. "You know Naruto," Shino leaned in closer, "she's your only option."

Naruto swallowed hard at the finality of Shino's statement.

"Alright," Naruto nodded nervously, "I'll give it a shot. So where can I find her?"

After a short pause, Kiba and Shino both shrugged, and returned to their meal.

Naruto flailed his hands in an aggravated fashion, "Damnit you guys!"

* * *

It was late in the evening when Naruto made it back to the familiar training grounds he had visited the previous night. He scanned the field for any signs that Hinata was still around. After a few minutes he noticed a lithe figure at the base of a lone tree in the clearing. Upon approaching the area, Hinata's resting form came into focus.

He slowed to a quiet, cautious pace until he was only a few feet from her. She appeared to be sleeping; lying on her side atop the large roots beneath the tree. It looked as though she had been training, as the outfit she had similarly worn the night was wet with perspiration.

Naruto grinned as he gently knelt down beside her. The site reminded him of his own training sessions in the past, where he would end up completely burning himself out.

He hated having to wake her up, but with Tsunade's deadline bearing down on him, he needed an answer. He took a deep breath and brought his hand up to nudge her awake. Reaching out to her, his hand stopped just a few inches from her shoulder. After a slight pause, he slowly retracted his hand. It was strange, but for some reason he felt compelled to keep watching her. The rhythmic rise and fall of her chest as she slept…the strands of hair that were messily draped over her peaceful face…everything had him entranced in an inexplicable way.

As if right on cue, Hinata's eyes slowly slid open. Vaguely aware of her surroundings, her blurred vision was met with a pair of deep red orbs staring intently at her. Still dazed from her nap, she was unaware of what was happening, but did not break away from the mutual connection.

A few seconds later, Hinata blinked hard and let out a confused yelp, "N..Naruto-kun!?" As surprise finally set in, she quickly sat up and shuffled a few feet away until her back was pressed against the tree.

_I really need to get a grip on myself…freaking her out like that isn't going to help…_

Naruto scratched his head with a sheepish smile, "Sorry Hinata, I really didn't want to wake you up but I have something really important to ask you!"

"It's ok…" Hinata replied, picking herself off the ground. "What do you need Naruto-kun?"

"I'm really in a bind right now Hinata. Tsunade gave me permission to join the Jounin trials, but I have to find a partner by tomorrow or her deal is off."

Hinata's eyes widened slightly in surprise. _There's no way, he couldn't possibly want…me?_ She thought to herself, convinced almost instantly that he must be here to ask about other potential partners. Regardless, her curiosity was piqued now. "That's great Naruto-kun, but, what was it…that you wanted to ask?"

Hinata's questioning eyes quickly shattered any semblance of thought he was attempting to muster. "I…want to know if you would be my partner for the tournament."

_Subtle enough._

Hinata's heart skipped at Naruto's proposition, and apprehension immediately began to build. This was a chance to work with Naruto, someone that she had admired for such a long time, an inspiration to her own renowned determination. But Hinata knew that she couldn't be selfish; that Naruto's chances of passing would certainly be lower with her than any of the others.

_No…I don't want to be a hindrance to him. I can't._

Hinata's expression fell, and she exhaled shaking her head. "I'm sorry," she slowly replied, "but I just can't. I'm not ready for something like this yet. And…" Hinata's head dipped down, "I don't want to be someone that brings you down. I'm sorry." Hinata trailed off and turned quickly to leave.

As if induced by a panic reaction, Naruto reached out. "Wait." At that instance he reached out and grabbed Hinata's hand.

The sudden physical contact caused Hinata to stop dead in her tracks.

If it had been just a simple "no," then Naruto would have accepted it. But he didn't like what he had heard. Her reason for being against it bothered him for some reason, and he felt a great need to understand her decision.

He found that it was a strange moment to notice how soft her hand felt in his, and he quickly turned away, sheepishly scratching his head.

"Look," Naruto sighed, turning back to her, "I'm not going to force you into anything Hinata. If you don't think that you're ready for this, then that's completely fine. But I don't want you to avoid this because you think you'll somehow hurt my chances of passing. That's just wrong; my chances don't exist at all without a partner."

Still turned away from Naruto, Hinata lifted her head. Her expression implied that she was in deep thought.

Naruto placed his other hand on her shoulder, and gave it a light squeeze, causing Hinata's eyes to meet with his. He gave her a comforting grin, "We can do this. Trust me."

Hinata lowered her gaze slightly as a feint smile crawled across her face. Naruto was always very straightforward in expressing his beliefs, and the way in which he exuded confidence was enough to wipe away almost anybody's doubts and reservations.

What seemed like an eternity passed by before Naruto felt Hinata's hand gently grip his own. At the same moment Hinata looked up with new, determined eyes.

"Alright then, it's a deal."

* * *

Author's Note

Whew, that was a tough one to get out…so much that I already have a lot of the story planned out, by at least 5 more chapters. Already a good ways into the new few chapters, so I hope to have those up within the next few weeks. As always many thanks to those who have left reviews and Mike, my faithful beta reader.


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